I was browsing through a catalog today. Not a catalog really, these ads were really single sheets of product ads. These were from a very well-known mail-order company. They probably service the 50-70-yr-old market.
Now, I don't shop often (I try hard not to!) so maybe I'm out of the loop here ... I searched for the price on a lightweight blanket I liked. Good price: 2 for only $19.99. Hey, 3 for $28.25. Not bad at all.
But how much for just one of those nice, cozy blankets? No price listed. Nope. Nowhere on the page. S+H, postage, etc., sure. But no price for ordering a single item.
I moved on and found a sweater worth checking out. Guess what? No pricing for purchasing just one of those. I looked through the entire pile. None of them had single-item pricing. But there was a nice 800# listed on each sheet, along with prices if I buy 2 or 3 of each...
So I'm supposed to call them to get a single-item price? Is that what we've come to?
I understand their logic (strategy). If they get me thinking in terms of '2' or '3' from the beginning, I won't be tempted to settle for only one measly item. It's simple psychology. I'm sure it works for them (they'd stop doing it if it wasn't working) a good majority of the time.
But not this time. I'll do without rather than calling an 800# to find a price. My luck, it will be an automated system. I'll get lost in there somewhere, never to return. My hunch is, there won't be a human in that maze they call customer service. And I still won't know what it costs for one simple blanket.
Where do you draw the line?
I agree with you. It's up to the people who are making the sale to give me the information I need to know. I'm not going to go out of my way when there are people out there who are kind enough to give me the information I need to make an informed purchase.
Posted by: Nannette | December 03, 2003 at 01:43 PM